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11/3/16

Threats to Religious Freedom in Turkey

I am currently working on a Center for Global Justice
project related to promoting religious freedom in Turkey. Turkey, while a predominantly Muslim nation,
is Constitutionally committed to being a secular nation. Turkey’s Constitution guarantees freedom of
religion, assembly, association and expression, among other rights (PDF). Turkey has also signed a number of
international human rights agreements,
including the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Under Turkey’s Constitution, international
agreements have the “force of law” in Turkey (Article 90). The ECHR also guarantees freedom of religion,
expression, assembly and association: www.echr.coe.int/Documents/Convention_ENG.pdf. Generally, freedom of religion encompasses
the right to practice one’s religion both publicly and in private, alone or in
a group.

Despite Turkey’s commitment to secularism and religious
freedom, both nationally and internationally, there are a number of concerns
regarding religious freedom in Turkey.
Although Turkey does not have an official state religion, it exercises
official state control over religion.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF),
in its 2016 annual report, notes some positive developments in Turkey, but
states:

“No religious community, including the Sunni Muslim
majority, has full legal status and all are subject to state controls that
limit their rights to own and maintain places of worship, train clergy, and
offer religious education. Other concerns relate to the compulsory religious
education classes in public primary and secondary schools, the listing of
religious affiliation on national identity cards, anti-Semitism, threats
against Turkey’s small Protestant community, and denials of access to religious
sites in the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus….Under the Turkish
interpretation of secularism, however, the state has pervasive control over
religion and denies full legal status to all religious communities. This limits
religious freedom for all religious groups and has been particularly
detrimental to the smallest minority faiths. Official control of Islam is
through the Presidency of Religious Affairs, and of all other faiths is through
the General Directorate for Foundations.”
(www.uscirf.gov/reports-briefs/annual-report/2016-annual-report).

As a minority religion in Turkey (there are fewer than
150,000 Christians in Turkey, according to USCIRF), Christians may face
challenges in Turkey. Open Doors USA
reports that the Directorate General of Foundation verbally ordered a city’s
church building to be vacated in 5 days.
As the only church building in a city of 2 million people, it is shared
by 4 congregations. Although the order
was later rescinded, the article states, “Under Turkish law non-Muslim,
significant legal hurdles face faith communities that attempt to register an officially
sanctioned house of worship. Multiple congregations often share the same space
due to these challenges.” (www.opendoorsusa.org/take-action/pray/tag-prayer-updates-post/turkey-rescinds-order-to-close-only-church-in-bursa/)

In July of 2016, Turkey endured a failed coup attempt. The Catholic Register reports that "More
than 300 people were killed and another 2,100 injured when soldiers tried to
take over the Turkish parliament in Ankara and other key institutions.” Since the failed coup, “At least 6,000 people
have been arrested in Turkey on suspicion of being associated with Hizmet and
Gulen, those allegedly behind the coup. Close to 3,000 military personnel,
2,700 judges and thousands of teachers and university academics have been
fired.” According to BBC, the Hizmet
movement is a Muslim network, inspired by Fethullah Gulen, who “promotes a
tolerant Islam which emphasizes altruism, hard work and education.” (www.bbc.com/news/world-13503361) The Catholic Register states that Hizmet
“reflects Gulen’s modern take on the mystical Sufi Muslim tradition.”

“When the Turkish government starts clamping down on a
particular strand of Islam, it can only further marginalize other religious
minorities, including Christians, Jews and Alevis…Freedom of religion has
always been tenuous for Turkish Christians and Jews, who have had their
properties seized by the state.”

“This secular republic is now ruled by an Islamic party, and
some are concerned by the growing authoritarianism of the prime minister…
Active Christians face hardships ranging from job loss to physical violence and
even death. All religious communities are subject to state controls, which
limit the right to own places of worship, train clergy and offer religious
instruction.” (https://www.persecution.com/public/restrictednations.aspx?country_ID=%3d3530)

The research I’ve done so far has been educational, as I’ve
been able to learn about an area of the world that, prior to beginning this
project, I knew very little about. I am
hopeful that our project will be influential in helping Turkish people
understand and assert their rights, particularly their rights to religious
freedom.

This post was written by a Center for Global Justice student staff member. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect those of Regent University, Regent Law School, or the Center for Global Justice.

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